Photovoltaic power system operation in the Mars environmentDetailed information on the environmental conditions on Mars are very desirable for the design of photovoltaic systems for establishing outposts on the Martian surface. The variation of solar insolation (global, direct, and diffuse) at the Viking lander's locations is addressed. It can be used, to a first approximation, for other latitudes. The radiation data is based on measured optical depth of the Martian atmosphere derived from images taken of the sun with a special diode on the Viking cameras; and computation based on multiple wavelength and multiple scattering of the solar radiation. The data are used to make estimates of photovoltaic system power, area and mass for a surface power system using regenerative fuel cells for storage and nighttime operation.
Document ID
19900051101
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Appelbaum, Joseph (NASA Lewis Research Center Cleveland, OH, United States)
Flood, Dennis J. (NASA Lewis Research Center Cleveland, OH, United States)